NEX Food Court Renovations Resume

NAVAL BASE GUAM (March 13, 2023) – Customers at the Navy Exchange (NEX) Guam Food Court may start to see more changes and significant movement in the coming weeks and months as construction work has restarted at the facility NEX Main Store’s food court.

Regional Food Services and Vending Operations Manager Andy Herranen said after working through some delays, construction will commence this week and should not affect customers, as work will be completed during the evening time.
“The old jewelry department is where the new Subway (restaurant) concept will go in hopefully as planned around August 2023,” Herranen said.  

Transactions at the NEX food court average between 1,200 to 1,500 on weekdays and 900 to 1,200 on weekends.

In December 2021, Panda Express was the first of restaurants to formally open as part of the $3 million NEX food court redesign. The remaining part of the plan also includes the addition of Louisiana-based chicken chain Raising Canes and a new seating package with electronic charging areas.

Popeyes, Del Taco, and Domino’s Pizza will be closed as part of the renovations in July 2023.

“We will be having Del Taco and Domino’s vendors return and the new addition will be Raising Canes,” Herranen said. “The food court seating package (installation) will be starting from April to May 2023.”

Popeyes will not be returning.

To supplement closed vendors, the NEX uses pop-up vendors and food trucks to help fill in gaps.

A pop-up Chili’s restaurant is open inside the food court and offers a limited lunch menu including barbecue chicken, ribs, wings, cheese and jalapeno stuffed sausage, and various chips and salsa, Herranen said. The Chili’s Pop-Up is open from Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

“Once the three stores close down in mid to late-July, we will increase hours of operation for Chili’s 7-days a week for lunch and dinner,” Herranen said.

Starting in July-August timeframe, there will be at least one food truck every day in front of the NEX Main Store, including A&L BBQ; Sticky Fingers, which specializes in carnival confectionaries and soft serve ice; and Shave-It, which serves shave ice, tropical drinks, and fiesta food, he said.

The store and the food court are part of the full experience, according to NEX Guam General Manager Lisa Ballejo.

“While we’ve had to work through some delays, we are still committed to creating wonderful improvements to our food court,” Ballejo said. “We want our customers to be able to sit down, enjoy, relax, and feel comfortable while they have a good meal, as part of positive addition to their quality of life.”

The remodel of the food court is expected to be completed in March 2024.